King George IV

Sitterback to top

• King George IV (1762-1830), Regent 1811-19; Reigned 1820-30. Sitter associated with 182 portraits.

Artistback to top

• Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830), Portrait painter, collector and President of the Royal Academy. Artist associated with 682 portraits, Sitter in 25 portraits.

This portraitback to top

In 1814, Lord Stewart, who had been appointed ambassador in Vienna and was a previous client of Thomas Lawrence, wanted to commission a portrait by him of the Prince Regent (later King George IV). He therefore arranged that Lawrence should be presented to the Prince Regent at a levee. Soon after, the Prince visited Lawrence at his studio in Russell Square. Lawrence wrote to his brother that 'To crown this honour, (he) engag'd to sit to me at one today and after a successful sitting of two hours, has just left me and comes again tomorrow and the next day.' The result was a drawing in the Royal Collection, this dashing oil sketch of his head in profile like a Classical god and a large portrait of him in Field Marshall's uniform.

Linked publicationsback to top

• Audio Guide
• Cooper, John, Visitor's Guide, 2000, p. 66
• Gibson, Robin, Treasures from the National Portrait Gallery, 1996, p. 81
• Holmes, Richard; Crane, David; Woof, Robert; Hebron, Stephen, Romantics and Revolutionaries: Regency portraits from the National Portrait Gallery, 2002, p. 85
• Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery: An Illustrated Guide, 2000, p. 111
• Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 111
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 241
• Simon, Jacob, The Art of the Picture Frame: Artists, Patrons and the Framing of Portraits in Britain, 1997 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 8 November 1996 - 9 February 1997), p. 101
• Walker, Richard, Regency Portraits, 1985, p. 201
• Williamson, David, The National Portrait Gallery: History of the Kings and Queens of England, 1998, p. 142
• Williamson, David, Kings and Queens, 2010, p. 138

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• Thomas Lawrence Portraits (21 October 2010 - 23 January 2011)

Subject/Themeback to top

• In profile